Hamlin discusses dropping appeal of fine: From #11-Denny Hamlin's Friday media availability: How do you feel about having this incident concluded? "The biggest thing is I think that we won in the judge of the people and their opinion I think some of the peers of mine -- at least the ones that have a backbone had the nerve to stick up for what they know is right and wrong -- agreed. But what was the point in going another week or so. We've got bigger fish to fry than to argue over what I said just for $25,000 and it's better just to move on and let NASCAR get its credibility back and they're going to do that and I'm going to move on and just focus on a championship." Is this something that Joe Gibbs helped to mediate? "No, (Joe) Gibbs (team owner, Joe Gibbs Racing) really supported -- whatever I wanted to do, he was fine with it. Ultimately, I had some conversations with Brian France (NASCAR CEO) and we had a lot of the same ideas. And I think that in hindsight I really believe they (NASCAR) overreacted and I believe that they think they overreacted once they thought about it a little bit, but now we're at a point that we're good with each other and we're just going to move on from here." Did you drop the appeal once you knew they wouldn't suspend you? "I was prepared either way, honestly. They (NASCAR) are ultimately not going to want to suspend -- that would be their last resort. I was prepared to do it and I let my sponsors and everyone know that it's a possibility, so everyone was behind me to do whatever I wanted to do. But, ultimately after talking with NASCAR and (Joe) Gibbs (team owner, Joe Gibbs Racing) and everyone and really thinking about it more, it just needed to end." Did your conversation with Brian France end with you feeling you could talk to him? "That was the biggest complaint I had was that if I was Jeff Gordon, Tony (Stewart), Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. or any Hendrick (Motorsports) driver -- let's just say that -- they would have had a conversation with me before. Just to slap the fine on me and not tell me anything is what really, really bugged me a lot. That felt like I had not earned my place in this sport and I've grinded it out here for eight years and I really feel like I've done what it takes to earn the respect of both my peers and NASCAR and I felt like if I had been somebody else the outcome may have been different."(Toyota PR)(3-15-2013)

from Jayski

I agree with everything he said. If you hadnt noticed, loved the part about those with a back bone. (Dale Jr. & Jeff Gordon excluded ) Also can appreicate his sponsors for standing behind him as well.

i thought he was done talking about this a few weeks ago??? my how quickly he changes his tune, like i said before, its nascar rules, if ya dont like em, go drive super 8 in Australia and see if you can make that kind of money there, and that goes to all the drivers, even the ones i support, im tired of athletes crying about these fines, when they are compensated for what they do, just shut up and drive

HiddenHollow wrote:Read the opening lines - the MEDIA is the one's that keep bringing it back up to Denny. I'm sure if they asked him about his car's setup at Bristol, he would have answered that, too.

denny said a few weeks ago, he would never address it again, even if the media asked him, just going by what he said.

michaeljohn wrote:i thought he was done talking about this a few weeks ago??? my how quickly he changes his tune, like i said before, its nascar rules, if ya dont like em, go drive super 8 in Australia and see if you can make that kind of money there, and that goes to all the drivers, even the ones i support, im tired of athletes crying about these fines, when they are compensated for what they do, just shut up and drive

he said in the very beginning it was never about the money. (25k isnt crap to these guys)He made Nascar look like $h!theads, heII there are a lot of drivers out there that would pay 25k to be able to do such a thing. Not the spineless drivers but still a lot of them would.

i dont believe im running to the defense of HMS, read what i wrote, "that goes for all the drivers, even the ones i support." go back to your lil nazi point game since all of the sudden our the spokesperson of the site telling people what they can and cant do, ya D.B.........

speaking of nazi games. just read about Carl long not allowed in Cup garage because he owes them 200k. originally it was his wife's fine, & Carl was able to go in the cup garages, but Nascar wants their money & moved the fine to Carl himself, keeping him from being able to go to the Cup garages anymore.

Wish more drivers would be more like Denny & Ryan, & speak their minds, & not be just a bunch of A$S kissers like Gordon & Jr.It doesnt help Drivers as a whole.

michaeljohn wrote:i dont believe im running to the defense of HMS, read what i wrote, "that goes for all the drivers, even the ones i support." go back to your lil nazi point game since all of the sudden our the spokesperson of the site telling people what they can and cant do, ya D.B.........

Schmoopy1000 wrote:speaking of nazi games. just read about Carl long not allowed in Cup garage because he owes them 200k. originally it was his wife's fine, & Carl was able to go in the cup garages, but Nascar wants their money & moved the fine to Carl himself, keeping him from being able to go to the Cup garages anymore.

Wish more drivers would be more like Denny & Ryan, & speak their minds, & not be just a bunch of A$S kissers like Gordon & Jr.It doesnt help Drivers as a whole.

Nascar powers that be are a bunch of Dooch bags.

Wasn't it originally his crew chief's fine, and then after he wouldn't pay, it became his wife's fine as team owner? I guess NASCAR doesn't mind requiring smaller teams to never make one small step out of bounds ever, or risk being put out of racing forever, and then holding a grudge against everyone on the team, even the pit crew.

There will always be another investor willing to start up a small team to replace the one that NASCAR just crushed, right?

michaeljohn wrote:i dont believe im running to the defense of HMS, read what i wrote, "that goes for all the drivers, even the ones i support." go back to your lil nazi point game since all of the sudden our the spokesperson of the site telling people what they can and cant do, ya D.B.........

michaeljohn wrote:i dont believe im running to the defense of HMS, read what i wrote, "that goes for all the drivers, even the ones i support." go back to your lil nazi point game since all of the sudden our the spokesperson of the site telling people what they can and cant do, ya D.B.........

wow. I'd ask you to relax but you might just take it the wrong way.

...this is funny comin' from you...

I have my moments. They're few and far between to be sure, but I have a few